For a long time, the British
Phil Spector International series was the only way you could pick up his classic early '60s productions.
The Crystals volume covers all of the essential bases: the monster hits, worthy obscurities like "Please Hurt Me" and "No One Ever Tells You," and the controversial, withdrawn
Goffin-
King single, "He Hit Me." It's been superseded as the collection of choice by the 1992 ABKCO CD,
The Best Of The Crystals. As this import collection is out-of-print and difficult to find, all those looking for a definitive
Crystals anthology should go for the ABKCO one instead. But if you already have this vinyl LP, it essentially duplicates the contents of the CD; audiophiles may differ on the matter, but I wouldn't say it's worth the $15 or so to "upgrade."
–
Richie Unterberger, Rovi